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About Democracy for America

Who We Are

Democracy for America (DFA) is a member-driven, people-powered political action committee founded by former presidential candidate and DNC chair Gov. Howard Dean. Our mission is to build and empower the progressive grassroots to take our democracy back from corporations and the wealthy few and aggressively combat growing income inequality.

What We Do

Over our decade-plus of activism, DFA has consistently been on the front lines of our nation’s most prominent political and ideological battles. We make progressive change happen using our time-tested election-member-issue organizing model:

WIN ELECTIONS: We recruit and train progressive candidates to run for office and win at every level of government, in general elections and in contested primaries against corporate Democrats. Our electoral organizing is firmly rooted in Gov. Dean’s “50 State Strategy" -- we work hard to support progressive candidates and build progressive infrastructure in blue states, red states, and purple states (via Purple to Blue).

EMPOWER OUR MEMBERS: DFA is a member-driven organization focused on helping our members take meaningful, progressive political action on the local and national level. Our online and offline training programs give our members the tools they need to become stronger, more skilled activists -- empowering them to be effective advocates for progressive policies, game-changing supporters of progressive candidates, and candidates for office themselves.

DRIVE THE CONVERSATION ON ISSUES: Through our issue campaigning nationally and locally, we put pressure on politicians and the media to put our country’s income inequality crisis at the center of the political debate, hear grassroots activists’ calls for populist progressive reforms, and robustly respond to injustice, however it emerges.

Why We're Different

Here at DFA, we believe that YOU have the power: That's why every endorsement and issue campaign we run is inspired and informed by the knowledge of our on-the-ground, grassroots members. DFA members aren’t an “email list” or an ATM for candidates blessed by Washington insiders -- they are the source of our strength and some of the smartest, hardest-working progressive activists our country has ever seen. We’re proud of all that the DFA family has been able to accomplish together since Gov. Dean founded our organization in 2004, and we look forward to being a vital part of the growing progressive movement for years to come.

Billionaire activist Tom Steyer also told The Bee earlier this month that his advocacy group, NextGen America, was now considering intervening in some of California’s crowded congressional races if they determine it could help prevent two Republicans from advancing to the general election. Steyer’s group is planning to pour $3.5 million into voter outreach in the state in 2018, targeted at millennial voters. Groups like EMILY’s List and Democracy for America also plan to support their endorsed candidates in several of the seven Republican-held districts.